Physical Properties of Air‐Dried and Freeze‐Dried Chicken White Meat

Cooked, diced chicken meat was dehydrated by various air‐ and freeze‐drying techniques. The dried material was evaluated to determine shear strength, friability, color, rehydration, surface area, porosity, density and pore size distribution. A Scanning Electron Microscope was employed to study effects of the drying process on meat fiber structure. We found that freeze‐drying produced a porous material with excellent rehydration properties. Air‐drying produced samples with less porosity and poorer rehydration. We concluded that porosity was the primary factor in rehydration potential and surface area and pore size distribution was less important.